CENTERS OF THERMAL-DONOR NUCLEATION IN SILICON

An investigation was made of the characteristics of thermal donor formation at T = 315-450-degrees-C in Si:O crystals subjected to a brief preliminary heat treatment at T = 500-800-degrees-C. The initial stages of thermal donor accumulation in crystals subjected to this preliminary treatment was controlled by the process of generation of thermal-donor nucleation centers. The steady-state concentration of these nucleation centers and the characteristic time of their formation were determined as a function of the annealing temperature and of the oxygen content of the crystals. It was established that there were at least three oxygen atoms in each nucleation center.